Is Pokémon less popular than it used to be?

[Kennith]

I think Pokemon is still popular. If not then the franchise would have ended. Maybe it is not as popular as before but it is still strong enough to give us gen 7.

 

[red2000]

6th Gen was the biggest dip, but even still 14 million is nothing to sneeze at, we'll see about Gen 7 but it seems to be more hype for this Generation than last

 

[MrConfusedTurkey]

A lot of you must not be in the right communities, and I live out in an area where I can't even play Go because I have to walk two miles for the only stop, and there aren't any gyms near me - and yet, I have met so many people before Go that were playing Pokemon, and not just the old games for nostalgia, but enjoying the new ones. For a while it was just in my high school, but I am 4 years out of high school, and have been meeting people in their 30's playing. So I can't say that Pokemon is any less successful, or even really less popular. Especially with sales statistics. You can't expect it to continue to stay at the popularity it was at release, that's absurd. I think Go is having a very positive effect on the franchise, but I don't think it will change anything drastically. I doubt everyone's parents that are suddenly playing Go are going to go out and buy a 3DS for S/M, or really the majority of people that had a smart phone available and downloaded a free game. But there will be people that decide they want to play it just because Go is fun for them, and bringing anyone (new or old) in is beneficial.

 

[Rio!]

By doing that though ironically, it pissed off a lot of people(not me). People couldnt take not being able to get the same pokemon they get every gen for their teams.
Xy literally recreated viridian forest, Gave you gen 1 starters, had the league be on a off route near the first major town, had mewtwo sitting in a cave that you need to surf to, has someone give you a lapras, evil team is first met in a cave guarding fossils, evil team base is set up with sliding floor panels, and the legendary birds are in.
So bw was emulating the setup of gen 1, xy was pandering to the nostalgia of it like no other gen.

Urgh I agree with this SO much which is why I have seriously mixed feelings about Alolan Form Pokes so far. Sure it's nice that they're getting slightly better buffs in some cases as far as type changes go. It's even more glaringly obvious Kanto is being favored in yet another generation. I think there's a bit of a problem when old pokemon are still getting more attention rather than the newer ones being introduced. I well understand that having certain pokemon available from earlier generations is perfectly fine, but for them to have as much attention as they have since Kalos? Nah.

I do thinks that Go helps with marketing Pokemon in general though. I haven't played it myself since I lack a decent smartphone, but from the people I've talked to they seem to be having quite a bit of fun and enjoying themselves. Who knows, it just might be enough to push some people into the 3Ds' general direction. ;o

 

[RogueLapras]

I didn't read all the replies, so someone might have mentioned this already. Sorry if someone has. I read an article a few days ago about Pokemon Go increasing the sales of X/Y by 200% and OR/AS by 80% in just the past month! Pokemon is very popular right now. Pokemon Go has people of all ages playing. I have seen children and elderly people playing. I just hope this hype continues. I would love to see Pokemon keep going for 20+ more years

Oh and here is a link to the article I am referring to if anyone is interested: http://attackofthefanboy.com/news/pokemon-go-caused-200-jump-sales-pokemon-x-y/

 

[SWMegaFan]

I posted about this in my Intro thread in regards to my history with the Pokemon fandom in the early days, and well as my reason on why I left the fandom for some tome (see here: serebiiforums.com/showthread.php?653120-Wanting-to-get-back-into-the-Pokemon-fandom-(particularly-the-main-series-games) ) but basically, I am one of those that left the franchise about 11+ years ago and ever since Pokemon Go came out and seeing Pokemon Sun and Moon be advertised, I've kind of been feeling the Pokemon bug itch again, so much so that I'm willing to invest in a 3DS and Pokemon X/Y and ORAS and then Sun/Moon despite being in a different part of my life than I was 11+ years ago.

I say all this because I feel that I can attest in stating something in regards to Pokemon's popularity.

One thing that should be set straight is that the term "popular" is a relative term. Now that that's out of the way: in terms of popularity in mainstream society, no, it has not been at the level that it was when it was first introduced in the US back in the late 1990's/early 2000's, back during the whole Pokemania craze. And being that Pokemon has been long-running for about 20 years now, I don't expect it to be in everyone and their mom's face (put not intended lol) like it was back then. The freshness, as far as for the general public goes, is gone, and that's ok, that's how fads and trends tend to be (also, I don't intend it to ever get at those levels again but that's ok anyhow). That said, in regards to popularity as video games and as a brand compared to other IP's in similar fields, yes, Pokemon still is popular, even 6 generations and 721 Pokemon later (soon to be 7 generations).

Any why is that? Well, for one thing, the games still continue to bring dough in (and to be fair, the main series games are the bread and butter of the Pokemon franchise). Even the least successful Pokemon game financial-wise still outranks many other games from other IP's (of the games released around the same time; this is another one of those spots where the term relativity comes into play). Furthermore, it has been stated that the Pokemon IP ranks #2 in terms of successful video game IP's (number 1 being the Mario IP).

By the way, here's an article I found earlier today in regards to this topic. It's about 2 years old now but it's message still rings true today: denofgeek.com/us/games/pok-mon/239407/how-pokemon-survived-90s-

On the flip side of things, there's also this one (also an article about two years old): siliconera.com/2014/12/01/pokemons-audience-growing-older/

In regards to the anime: while older folks may not be watching it anymore, that's ok still as those older folks just get replaced by newer and younger kids coming into the fandom (and if that's fine with the show's creators, then that's cool I guess; like I mentioned, it's the games where the bread and butter are at). And let's be completely honest with ourselves, the anime is mostly geared towards kids. Some older fans simply grow out of it (an argument can be made for the games on this as well but for the sake of this paragraph, we'll stick with referencing the anime); say what you want about the anime's current state but let's face it, almost anything that seemed good when we were kids isn't as good as we thought it was when we get older (yes, we may have nostalgic feelings towards the earlier seasons but still, take off the rose-tinted nostalgic comments and you'll see what I mean; doesn't mean an older person can't try to find enjoyment out of watching it though). And again, it all comes back to the whole Pokemania craze and the fad wearing off (this is also evident by the fact that Pokemon movies don't come out in theaters anymore like the 1st 4-5 did). Furthermore, anime as a genre in and of itself hasn't really ever been a mainstream thing, at least in the US. A lot of it has mostly cult followings, catering to niche groups. And you know what? That's ok. When it comes to the anime, catering to the kids demographic has worked for The Pokemon Company (sure, it may feel repetitive and formulaic at times, especially every time that Ash goes to a new region, but even then, that's just an opportunity for new kids and new fans in general to jump in and if that works for the company, then that's fine). [To be honest, the topic of the anime is for another time and another as it's an interesting one in and of itself]

All in all, Pokemon, even the games themselves, cater to the youth of the time, and every generation introduced is just an opportunity for a new batch of youth to come into the fandom. Some fans may leave but as long new fans come in, it's fine. Furthermore, what makes the Pokemon fandom still going strong is its dedicated fanbase (like everyone who visits this site for example). While the rest of the world may not be into Pokemon like the late 1900's/early 2000's Pokemania had it appear, the numerous hardcore fans of the games have kept it going due to their devotion, and if Nintendo and GF are content with that, so be it.

Another thing too: Pokemon is still a hit in Japan and if it's still going strong in Japan (games, anime, etc) then I don't see its popularity and revenue going away, even if it may seem that way in the US (as other countries at the international level seem to be more embracing of Pokemon in their respective public spheres).

In regards to Pokemon Go, while yes, it may have seemed that Pokemon is back in the public sphere as far as the mainstream goes, don't let that fool you. There's already many people who have gotten bored of it (I even read a report where it stated that about 70% of players who started playing it last month are the ones that are still active; here's another report: attackofthefanboy.com/news/pokemon-go-lost-10-million-daily-users-beginning-august/ ) and unless Niantic starts adding new features to the app to keep things fresh and overall keep the momentum going, then the number of participants will keep dropping. Case in point; I read a tweet the other day from some guy stating that playing the game eventually started to feel like a chore for him, and I can kind of see what he means as a lot of time one ends up catching mostly Pidgeys and Rattata's lol. So yeah, if new things don't get introduced to the game, it's just going to end up in fad territory.

 

[Comedyfan1095]

It's probably been getting less and less popular as time goes on. I remember a lot of people getting bored of Pokemon around the time of Black and White and then they got back into it with X and Y. And don't get me started on how Pokemon Go helped it's popularity.

 

[thisplayer]

There are several sources reporting that Pokemon GO popularity is going down. Is this true? Are you guys playing less than before?

 

[SWMegaFan]

There are several sources reporting that Pokemon GO popularity is going down. Is this true? Are you guys playing less than before?

Here's another article that addresses this (and it lists possible reasons as to why):

m.mic.com/articles/152459/pok-mon-go-is-losing-players-fast-here-are-the-4-biggest-reasons-why?

Personally, I haven't been playing it for about two weeks now. It got a bit cumbersome and repetitive, especially with mostly Rattata's and Pidgey's appearing.

 

[BCVM22]

There are several sources reporting that Pokemon GO popularity is going down. Is this true?

Totally true. But just like the franchise as a whole, the engagement numbers in the early going were never sustainable. It's a flashy headline that I would recommend people look past, to find that the app still has a very healthy number of users, and as new features are implemented, that will help as well.

 

[Dwight]

Pokemon is currently at it's highest peak of popularity.

 

[FulgoreX]

Pokemon is currently at it's highest peak of popularity.

That's not true at all. The franchise will never be as big as it was from roughly 1997-2000 again.

 

[Creyk]

There are several sources reporting that Pokemon GO popularity is going down. Is this true? Are you guys playing less than before?

Well I honestly don't know why anyone would keep playing it for a long time, the game is awful. They should have made it more like the main games. There needs to be more pokemon variety not just the same 5 in your entire country, like what is that. Of course people are not going to stick with the game when it's bad. Also, only 2 attacks? No trading? No PVP? What is the point even? They should have made the game a lot better, like a lot lot better before putting it out like that because now the vast majority of the public already wrote it off for what it is and won't give it much of a chance anymore, even if they fix the HUGE problems in the game. Also, only 151 pokemon included? What is this? ALL should be included. The game literally has so many mistakes it's a shame they didn't make it properly before actually releasing it.

 

[BCVM22]

If your experience with the game hasn't been as positive, that's unfortunate, but not a one of those is a fair or accurate criticism of the game, particularly the parts where you complain "they should have made it more like the main games."

 

[Erron Black]

Well I honestly don't know why anyone would keep playing it for a long time, the game is awful. They should have made it more like the main games. There needs to be more pokemon variety not just the same 5 in your entire country, like what is that. Of course people are not going to stick with the game when it's bad. Also, only 2 attacks? No trading? No PVP? What is the point even? They should have made the game a lot better, like a lot lot better before putting it out like that because now the vast majority of the public already wrote it off for what it is and won't give it much of a chance anymore, even if they fix the HUGE problems in the game. Also, only 151 pokemon included? What is this? ALL should be included. The game literally has so many mistakes it's a shame they didn't make it properly before actually releasing it.

the game isn't even 3 months old and it only has the first generation of pokemon with more to come

of course it'll get old, but it's still a fairly popular game, especially for mobile

Pokemon is currently at it's highest peak of popularity.

this is hilarious because it's such a false statement. back in the days of rbgy it was almost 3x as popular as it is now, numbers wise ofc

 

[Jockeli]

I think pokemon popularity definitely dipped after gold and silver, at least it did where I live. I personally played the games up until heart gold but I didn't play that version very often. Since the release of pokemom GO however pokemon has become popular again and I went straight out to buy a 2ds with pokemon X! I forgot how much I used to love these games and I'm getting back into it learning all over again. I wouldn't say it's as popular as it was when RBY were released but the hype is definitely real at the moment.

 

[Dwight]

That's not true at all. The franchise will never be as big as it was from roughly 1997-2000 again.

With the current amount of players on Go, people who solely play the main games, watch the anime, read the manga, the population rise within the last 15 years, the fact that gaming has become so modern, the company's growth, merchandise, promotions, and the fact that I lived in the 90s so I remember what it was like, I'd say that Pokemon is currently more popular than it was "back in the day." Sorry, but saying that the franchise will never succeed its preceding records is way too big of and understatement.

Pokemon will lose popularity, it will get it back, repeat. It's an inevitable cycle, there's no one to blame in this.

 

[SWMegaFan]

With the current amount of players on Go, people who solely play the main games, watch the anime, read the manga, the population rise within the last 15 years, the fact that gaming has become so modern, the company's growth, merchandise, promotions, and the fact that I lived in the 90s so I remember what it was like, I'd say that Pokemon is currently more popular than it was "back in the day." Sorry, but saying that the franchise will never succeed its preceding records is way too big of and understatement.

Pokemon will lose popularity, it will get it back, repeat. It's an inevitable cycle, there's no one to blame in this.

I think that comment was meant to be more so in reference to how in the beginning, it was so new and fresh, the so-called Pokemania times. Back then, it wasn't just games and the anime, Pokemon toys and Pokemon-branded items such as cans of soup and cereal were being shoved in our faces (in the mainstream sphere) and honestly speaking, that type (and level) of phenomenon hasn't happened since then. And that's ok. That's what happens in pop culture, things stop feeling fresh, trends die down, but what sets Pokemon apart is the dedicated fanbase that has allowed it to keep going for so many years (as well and bringing in new and younger fans during time) as well as introducing new generations and main series games every 3-4 years.

And sure, Pokemon Go has put the spotlight on the franchise again in in mainstream societyh but even then, it's still not like it was during late 90's Pokemania where the franchise was shoved in your face and you saw Pokemon merchandise everywhere. But like I said, that's ok. The handheld games are the bread and butter of the franchise and as long as those are still successful (at least by Nintendo's and Game Freak's standards), the franchise will continue to stay alive (and not fall into complete obscurity), even if it's mainly hardcore Pokemon fans buying them.

 

[ChloboShoka]

I think Pokemon Go has made it more popular than it was before.

 

[seafoodlover]

I don't get why they cater the anime for kids only? Even most kid show like Digimon and PBS don't treat their viewers like idiots. Most Pokemon gamer (including Pokemon GO), fan, follower, viewer, are actually teenagers to adults and not kid. So why does the stupid anime cater to kids?

Give us a rated T Pokemon Anime.